Rattled by fall in rank, NDMC launches 45-day sanitation drive

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), along with volunteers of Dera Saccha Sauda, launched a special 45-day sanitation drive in the city on Sunday.

As many as 70 teams, including Public Health, Civil, and Horticulture department officials, and consisting of nearly 150 members in each, besides 50 Dera volunteers, have been formulated for the task.

The move comes days after the civic body came down in its Swachh Sarvekshan, 2017, ranking, conducted by the Ministry of Urban Development, on parameters of cleanliness and sanitation.

The NDMC fell to seventh position, while tier-II cities such as Indore and Bhopal bagged the top two positions. As part of the drive, special attention will be given to cleaning the Kushak drain and slum areas, besides other cleanliness work, such as sweeping of roads, picking up of trash and foods packets, removal of posters and banners, cleaning of drains, and treatment of water bodies. Sushil Kumar Insa of Dera said: "We have vowed to remove the social stigma of dirty India, which has been put on our forehead by foreigners." He added that they will turn Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of Swacch Bharat into reality.